1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to coupling an electric energy storage device to an electric field using the corona discharges from a floating electrode. The corona ionic currents are used to charge the electric energy storage device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Floating electrodes are metallic objects that are disconnected from earth potential, and which, under certain well-defined conditions, can acquire an electric potential. The electric potential can be increased if a floating electrode has corona sources on its surface. Thus, a floating electrode can accumulate potential energy. The potential level and the amount of potential energy that a floating electrode acquires is a direct function of the electrodes area and a gap distance to an earth potential or a lower potential.
It would be useful to harness the potential energy that a floating electrode accumulates.